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2011-08-18

Top 100 Films

As I was invited by the fine folks at A Band Apart blog to contribute in their colossal task of assembling yearly Top 100 of the greatest films of all-time. I decided to join, first because I love to help fellow cinephiles and second, because I love to make lists of films.

I already did a Top 100 of my favourite films, but this task is a never-ending work. I imposed myself a rule that was supposed to help me but instead made the choices even harder and painful. Let’s call it the “One film per director rule”. The 75 first choices were pretty obvious since they are all directors/films I love and would watch anytime. But the last 25 were difficult, let’s say nearly impossible to determine in which order and who should be in and who should be left out?

However, it was a great opportunity to sit back and make a retrospective of the movies that let a mark into this cinephile’s mind. Sometimes you will finish a film and immediately say that it is the greatest film of all time! But five years later your opinion can change positively or negatively. Films like Renoir’s La règle du jeu just seem to be better and better with time. While Von Trier’s Dancer in the Dark, in my opinion, will seem lesser than the first impression I had.

Very interesting selections, I'm terrible at making lists, I can never decide what to keep in or leave out, and in this case choosing which film to represent each director. So I really applaud your efforts here, bravo!

@Nathanael. I like to back the films that have been favourites for all my life. It means Ghostbusters was my first favourite movie of all time and to me it's a successful mix of comedy and horror.

@Bonjour Tristesse. Lists are a killer! I know my opinion on these films can change just by the mood I am at the moment! But I picked pictures that I can rewatch without getting tired of them. These are also films that each subsequent viewing gives me a new perspective of it all!

Yes I have seen Dead Man! And I think it's almost a masterpiece if it wasn't for the presence of Johnny Depp who's playing... Johnny Depp as always... Nonetheless, Dead Man is more than worth the look!

Now this is a fantastic list! Such a diverse range of direcotrs! My list would have at least 3 Hitchcock, Kubrick and Chaplin films! Excellent top four, they are also favourites of mine. Taxi Driver is terrific!